Method of inhibiting aromatase

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a method of inhibiting aromatase and treating or preventing estrogen-dependent diseases in mammals by administering certain azole derivatives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Estrogens are synthesized from androgenic steroids. In the biosynthetic pathway for estrogen formation, aromatization is an essential step. It is generally believed that if the aromatase enzyme could be effectively inhibited, a useful treatment for estrogen dependent disorders could be obtained (see Cancer Research, Vol. 42, Suppl. 8: 3261s (1982)).

Several estrogen dependent diseases exist which could be treated with aromatase inhibitors. These include breast cancer, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian disease, benign breast disease, and endometrial cancer. A beneficial effect of antiestrogens in the treatment of breast cancer has been well established (see Br. J. Cancer, 25, 270 (1971)). Two of the known aromatase inhibitors, testolactone and aminoglutethimide, have shown a beneficial effect in treatment of breast cancer. See Cancer Research, supra.

Endometriosis is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of the endometrium of the uterus. Since the endometrium is dependent on estradiol for its growth, an inhibitor of estrogen production should stop the progression of the disease.

Benign breast disease, or often called fibrocystic breast disease, appears to be dependent on ovarian steroids. See Cancer, 49, 2534 (1982). Aromatase inhibitors have not been tried in this disease, but antiestrogens seem to be of benefit. See Obstet. Gynecol., 54, 80 (1979).

Polycystic ovarian disease is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. The disease appears to result from an abnormality in steriod metabolism, and the major form of therapy in this disease is the antiestrogen, clomiphene. See Clin. Endocrinol., 12, 177 (1980).

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a method for inhibiting the enzyme aromatase in mammals employing certain azole derivatives. The invention thus provides for the treatment or prevention of breast cancer and other estrogen-dependent diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a method of inhibiting aromatase in mammals which comprises administering to said mammal an aromatase inhibiting amount of a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is ##STR2## hydrogen, C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl, C₁ -C₄ alkyl, or acetenyl;

X is ##STR3## hydrogen, pyridyl, or 5-pyrimidyl, or R and X, when taken together, are ═CH₂, or when taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a cycloalkyl ring of 5-8 carbon atoms; and

Q is hydrogen or methyl;

where

R₁ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, methoxy, ethoxy, phenyl, methylthio, methyl, ethyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, or ##STR4## R₂, R₄, R₅, R₆, R₇ and R₈ are independently hydrogen, chloro, or fluoro;

or R₁ and R₂, when taken together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, form a naphthalene ring; R₃ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, or nitro;

n is 1 or 2, and

E and G are independently N or CH, provided that E and G may not both be N at the same time;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

By virtue of their ability to inhibit the enzyme aromatase, the compounds of the above formula are useful in the treatment and prevention of estrogen-dependent diseases, especially breast cancer, in mammals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The term "C₁ -C₄ alkyl" refers to branched and straight chain aliphatic radicals of one to four carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, tert-butyl, and the like. The term "C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl" refers to the saturated alicyclic rings of three to eight carbon atoms such as cyclopropyl, methylcyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cyclooctyl, and the like. "Pyridyl" refers to 2-, 3-, or 4-pyridyl.

A preferred group of compounds useful in the method of this invention are those wherein:

(a) Q is hydrogen,

(b) X is hydrogen, 3- or 4-pyridyl, 5-pyrimidyl, phenyl, or chloro-substituted phenyl,

(c) R is hydrogen, cyclohexyl, or phenyl optionally substituted with chloro, fluoro, trifluoromethyl, or nitro,

(d) one of R₁ and R₂ is hydrogen and the other is hydrogen, chloro, fluoro, trifluoromethyl, or nitro, and

(e) G is CH.

It is preferred that phenyl substituents are in the para or 4-position.

The compounds employed in the method of this invention are known in the art or can be made by methods described in the art. In general, the compounds are known as plant and animal antifungal agents. The following publications are representative but by no means exclusive of the references which teach the preparation of the compounds of the above formula: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,836,540, 3,647,815, 3,660,577, 3,665,076, 3,929,820, 4,052,409, 3,910,936, 3,629,273, 3,711,487, 3,787,415, 3,709,901, 3,769,422, 3,852,056, 3,897,438, 4,425,354, 4,006,243, 4,118,461, and 4,328,348, Belgian Pat. No. 768,808, German OLS No. 1,935,292, Casadio, et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 62 (5), 773 (1973), Johnson et al., J. Med. Chem., 12, 1024 (1969), and Kahnt, et al., Helvetica Chimica Acta, 49, 725 (1966). The publications do not disclose any utility related to the inhibition of aromatase or the treatment of estrogen dependent disease.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, many of the compounds used in this invention contain an asymmetric carbon atom. This invention is not limited to any particular isomer but includes the individual enantiomers as well as the racemates of the compounds.

The pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts used in this invention include salts derived from inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydriodic acid, phosphorous acid and the like, as well as salts derived from organic acids such as aliphatic mono- and di-carboxylic acids, phenyl-substituted alkanoic acids, hydroxy-alkanoic and -alkanedioic acids, aromatic acids, aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids, and the like. Typical pharmaceutically acceptable salts thus include sulfate, pyrosulfate, bisulfate, sulfite, bisulfite, nitrate, phosphate, monohydrogenphosphate, dihydrogenphosphate, metaphosphate, pyrophosphate, chloride, bromide, iodide, fluoride, acetate, propionate, decanoate, caprylate, acrylate, formate, isobutyrate, caprate, heptanoate, propiolate, oxalate, malonate, succinate, suberate, sebacate, fumarate, maleate, mandelate, butyne-1,4-dioate, hexyne-1,6-dioate, benzoate, chlorobenzoate, methylbenzoate, dinitrobenzoate, hydroxybenzoate, methoxybenzoate, phthalate, terephthalate, benzenesulfonate, toluene-sulfonate, chlorobenzenesulfonate, xylenesulfonate, phenylacetate, phenylpropionate, phenylbutyrate, citrate, lactate, β-hydroxybutyrate, glycolate, malate, tartrate, methanesulfonate, propanesulfonate, naphthalene-1-sulfonate, naphthalene-2-sulfonate and the like salts. The preferred salts of this invention are those derived from inorganic acids, especially hydrochloric acid.

The compounds used in this invention are useful in preventing or therapeutically treating estrogen-dependent diseases, including breast cancer, in mammals by virtue of their ability to inhibit the enzyme aromatase. Their ability to inhibit aromatase was demonstrated by employing a modification of the isolated rat ovarian microsome method of Brodie et al. in J. Steroid Biochem., 7, 787 (1976). In this test system, ovarian microsomes are obtained from rats treated with pregnant mares serum gonadotropin. Test compounds are added to reaction vials containing 0.1 μM 4-androstene-3,17-dione, 100,000 dpm 1,2[³ H]-androstenedione, the microsomes and a NADPH generating system. The concentrations of the inhibitors tested ranged between 0.005 and 10 μM. In this assay, aromatization of androstenedione results in the production of [³ H]-H₂ O which is isolated by extracting the samples with chloroform and treating the aqueous phase with charcoal to remove the free steroid. Samples are counted in a liquid scintillation spectrometer and the percent inhibition determined by comparing the results with control samples incubated without inhibitor. Potency is determined based on the concentration of inhibitor in μM required to produce a 50% inhibition of enzyme activity (EC₅₀) when the concentration of substrate (androstenedione) is 0.1 μM. The EC.sub. 50 's of certain of the compounds of the above formula are summarized in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Aromatase Inhibition in the Rat                                                Ovarian Microsome Assay                                                        Compound               EC.sub.50 *                                             ______________________________________                                         1-benzylimidazole      2.8                                                     1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                               0.042                                                   methyl]imidazole                                                               1-diphenylmethylimidazole                                                                             0.125                                                   1-[bis(4-nitrophenyl)- 0.017                                                   methyl]imidazole                                                               1-tritylimidazole      0.032                                                   1-[α-(2-chlorophenyl)di-                                                                        0.089                                                   phenylmethyl]imidazole                                                         3-[4,4'-dichloro-α-(1-                                                                          <0.050                                                  imidazolyl)diphenylmethyl]-                                                    pyridine                                                                       1-[α,α-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-                                                              0.064                                                   benzyl]imidazole                                                               1-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                      2.5                                                     imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                      2.1                                                     imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-(2-naphthalenylmethyl)-1H--                                                                         0.27                                                    imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(2-nitrophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                        3.1                                                     imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(3-nitrophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                        1.13                                                    imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(4-nitrophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                        0.029                                                   imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)methyl]-                                                                  0.39                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)methyl]-                                                                  0.19                                                    1H--imidazole ethanedioate                                                     1-[(3-methylphenyl)methyl]-                                                                           0.92                                                    1H--imidazole ethanedioate                                                     1-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-                                                                          1.25                                                    1H--imidazole ethanedioate                                                     1-(1-naphthalenyldiphenylmethyl)-                                                                     0.096                                                   1H--imidazole                                                                  1-[(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-                                                                         1.75                                                    methyl]-1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                            1-(1-phenylethyl)-1H--imidazole                                                                       1.05                                                    hydrochloride                                                                  1-[1-(2-chlorophenyl)ethyl]-                                                                          2.5                                                     1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(3,5-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       0.11                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    3-(α-tert-butyl-4-chloro-α-                                                               0.10                                                    imidazol-1-ylbenzyl)pyridine                                                   1-(1-naphthalenylmethyl)-1H--                                                                         0.33                                                    imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-(1,1-diphenyl-2-propynyl)-                                                                          0.018                                                   1H--imidazole                                                                  1-(3-chlorobenzyl)imidazole                                                                           3.6                                                     2-(1H--imidazol-1-yldiphenyl-                                                                         <0.05                                                   methyl)pyridine                                                                3-([4-(methylthio)phenyl]phenyl-                                                                      0.195                                                   1H--1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine                                          1-(2-chlorobenzyl)imidazole                                                                           3.5                                                     hydrochloride                                                                  1-(4-chlorobenzyl)imidazole                                                                           0.45                                                    hydrochloride                                                                  1-(2,3-dichlorobenzyl)imidazole                                                                       0.087                                                   hydrochloride                                                                  1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-1H--                                                                           0.093                                                   imidazole                                                                      1-(1-phenylcycloheptyl)-1H--                                                                          0.11                                                    imidazole                                                                      1-[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       >5.0                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       0.32                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(2,4-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       0.73                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(1,1'-biphenyl)-4-ylmethyl]-                                                                       1.65                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(4-methylphenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                       0.84                                                    imidazole hydrochloride                                                        1-[(2-methylphenyl)methyl]-                                                                           1.5                                                     1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(2-fluorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                           2.65                                                    1H--imidazole nitrate                                                          1-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                           0.63                                                    1H--imidazole nitrate                                                          1-[(2-methoxyphenyl)phenyl-                                                                           0.066                                                   methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                  3-[bis(2-chlorophenyl)-1H--1,2,4-                                                                     0.72                                                    triazol-1-ylmethyl]pyridine                                                    3-[bis(2-chlorophenyl)-1H--                                                                           0.305                                                   imidazol-1-ylmethyl]pyridine                                                   1-[(2-ethoxyphenyl)phenyl-                                                                            0.10                                                    methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                  1-[cyclohexyl(2-ethoxyphenyl)-                                                                        0.022                                                   methyl]-1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                            1-[(2,5-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       0.16                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[(2-ethoxyphenyl)methyl]-                                                                           1.56                                                    1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                    1-[2-methyl-1-(1-naphthalenyl)-                                                                       0.410                                                   propyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                  1-[(2-[2-phenylethoxy]phenyl)-                                                                        0.086                                                   methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                  1-[(2-[2,6-dichlorobenzyloxy]-                                                                        0.125                                                   phenyl)methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                           1-[(2-[2,4-dichlorobenzyloxy]phenyl)-                                                                 0.068                                                   methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                  1-[1-(2-[2,4-dichlorobenzyloxy]-                                                                      0.125                                                   phenyl)butyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                            1-[1-(2-ethoxyphenyl)ethyl]-                                                                          <0.050                                                  1H--imidazole nitrate                                                          1-[1-(2-ethoxyphenyl)propyl]-                                                                         0.14                                                    1H--imidazole nitrate                                                          1-[(4-chlorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-                                                                     0.0195                                                  1H-- imidazole nitrate                                                         1-[1-(2-[(3-chlorophenyl)methoxy]-                                                                    0.165                                                   phenyl)ethenyl]-1H--imidazole                                                  hydrochloride                                                                  4-[(2-methyl-1-imidazol-1-yl)di-                                                                      0.120                                                   phenylmethyl]pyridine                                                          5-(diphenyl-1H--1,2,4-triazol-1-yl-                                                                   0.825                                                   methyl)pyrimidine                                                              3-[(2-chlorophenyl)(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                  0.086                                                   1H--imidazol-1-ylmethyl]pyridine                                               3-[(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--imidazol-1-                                                                   <0.05                                                   yl-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-                                                  methyl]pyridine                                                                4-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--imidazol-                                                                  <0.05                                                   1-ylmethyl]pyridine                                                            1-[bis(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                    0.076                                                   imidazole                                                                      3-(1H--imidazol-1-yl-[4-(methyl-                                                                      <0.05                                                   thio)phenyl]phenylmethyl)pyridine                                              1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                        <0.05                                                   1H--imidazole                                                                  3-(bis[2,5-dichlorophenyl]-1H--                                                                       0.21                                                    imidazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine                                                   1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                         0.11                                                    methyl]-1H--imidazole                                                          1-bis(4-fluorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                          0.040                                                   methyl]-1H--imidazole                                                          5-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--                                                                           0.026                                                   imidazol-1-ylmethyl]pyrimidine                                                 1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                         0.094                                                   methyl]-2-methyl-1H--imidazole                                                 1-tris(4-chlorophenyl)methyl-2-                                                                       0.27                                                    methyl-1H--imidazole                                                           1-tris(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                               0.27                                                    methyl-1H--imidazole                                                           1-[bis(4-methoxyphenyl)phenyl-                                                                        0.24                                                    methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                     4-(diphenyl-1H--1,2,4-triazole-1-yl-                                                                  0.16                                                    methyl)pyridine                                                                4-(1H--imidazol-1-yl-di-                                                                              0.012                                                   phenylmethyl)pyridine                                                          1-[(4-chlorophenyl)diphenyl-                                                                          0.069                                                   methyl)-1H--imidazole                                                          1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-1H--imidazole                                                                      0.14                                                    1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                         0.08                                                    methyl]-2-methyl-1H--imidazole                                                 1-[(4-chlorophenyl)diphenyl-                                                                          0.08                                                    methyl]-2-methyl-1H--imidazole                                                 2-methyl-1-tritylimidazole                                                                            1.3                                                     1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-1H--1,2,4-                                                                         >5.0                                                    triazole                                                                       1-[(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                            0.15                                                    methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                     1-trityl-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                                           0.31                                                    1-diphenylmethyl-1H--1,2,4-                                                                           >5.0                                                    triazole                                                                       1-[tris(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                       0.42                                                    1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                             1-[bis(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                    >5.0                                                    1,2,4-triazole                                                                 1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                    0.094                                                   1,2,4-triazole                                                                 1-[(4-chlorophenyl)(4-fluoro-                                                                         <0.05                                                   phenyl)methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                              4-[(4-chlorophenyl)(4-fluoro-                                                                         0.080                                                   phenyl)methyl]-4H--1,2,4-triazole                                              1-[(4-bromophenyl)(4-fluoro-                                                                          <0.05                                                   phenyl)methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                              1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-                                                                        <0.05                                                   1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                             4-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-4H--                                                                    <0.05                                                   1,2,4-triazole                                                                 1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                         0.110                                                   methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                     1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                         0.080                                                   methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                     1-[(4-chlorophenyl)diphenyl-                                                                          0.095                                                   methyl]-1H--1,2,4-triazole                                                     3-[(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--1,2,4-                                                                        0.098                                                   triazol-1-yl-(3-trifluoromethyl-                                               phenyl)methyl]pyridine                                                         3-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--1,2,4-                                                                     0.060                                                   triazol-1-ylmethyl]pyridine                                                    1-[1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2-                                                                         <0.05                                                   propynyl]-1H--imidazole                                                        1-[bis(4-bromophenyl)methyl]-1H--                                                                     <0.05                                                   imidazole                                                                      3-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)(2-methyl-1H--                                                                  <0.05                                                   imidazol-1-yl)methyl]pyridine                                                  5-[(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--imidazol-1-                                                                   0.03                                                    yl(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)methyl]-                                            pyrimidine                                                                     ______________________________________                                          *Concentration of compound in μM required to achieve 50% inhibition of      aromatase activity when substrate concentration is 0.1 μM.            

By virtue of their ability to inhibit the enzyme aromatase, the compounds to be employed in the method of this invention are able to inhibit the synthesis of estrogens in mammals, thereby making the compounds useful in the treatment of estrogen-dependent diseases, such as breast cancer. This in vivo activity was demonstrated in the following test systems.

ESTROGEN SYNTHESIS INHIBITION IN RATS

Immature female Wistar rats (45-55 grams) were divided into control and test groups of 2-8 animals each. Test compounds were administered for seven days either daily by gavage in corn oil or as a component of the diet. Control animals received either corn oil or diet without the test compound. Beginning on the fourth day of the test, all animals treated with the test compound and one half of the control animals were given a subcutaneous injection of 1.0 mg of testosterone propionate in corn oil. The remaining control animals received only an equivalent volume of corn oil. On the seventh day of the test, rats treated with testosterone propionate were injected subcutaneously with 100 μCi of [³ H]-testosterone in 50 μl of 3:1 (v/v) saline-ethanol.

After two hours, the animals were killed by decapitation. Uteri were isolated, trimmed of extraneous connective tissue, and weighed. As summarized in Table 2 below, the corn oil treated animals exhibited low uterine weight and represent unstimulated or negative controls. In the control animals treated with testosterone propionate, estrogens produced by aromatization stimulated the uterus resulting in an increase in weight. Compounds which inhibit aromatization produced uterine weights significantly lower than those of the testosterone treated controls.

Ovaries from rats treated with [³ H]-testosterone were excised, cleaned of extraneous tissue, and homogenized in 2.5 ml of a 1.0 mM potassium phosphate buffer containing 3.0 mM MgCl₂.6H₂ O, 320 mM sucrose, and 0.25% Triton X-100 (polyethylene glycol p-isooctyl phenyl ether, Rohm and Haas) at pH 6.5. The ovarian steroids were extracted with 1.5 ml of 9:1 (v/v) toluene/ethanol to which had been added 25 to 100 mcg each of unlabelled estradiol, estriol, and estrone, and approximately 1000 dpm of [¹⁴ C]-estradiol. The samples were vortexed, centrifuged at 500×g for 10 minutes, and the organic phase was transferred to a conical vial. Two additional extractions were performed on the residue in the same way. The pooled organic extracts were evaporated for subsequent thin-layer chromatography.

Ovarian proteins were precipitated by the addition of 5.0 ml of ethanol to the remaining aqueous phase. After an overnight incubation at 4° C., the samples were centrifuged at 1500×g for 10 minutes. The supernatant was discarded, and the pellet was dissolved in 0.3N potassium hydroxide. Protein was determined according to the method of Bradford, Analytical Biochemistry, 72, 248 (1976).

The organic residue from each above extraction was redissolved in 9:1 (v/v) dichloromethane/methanol. The solution of each sample was applied to separate silica gel thin layer chromatography plates which contained a fluorescent indicator. The plates were developed in the first dimension with 160:38:1.5:0.5 (v/v/v/v) dichloromethane/ethyl acetate/methanol/acetic acid to within 3 cm of the top of the plate. After air-drying, the plate was developed in the second dimension with 180:19:1 (v/v/v) dichloromethane/methanol/ammonium hydroxide. The plate was air-dried and viewed under 254 nm UV light.

The visible spots were marked and the plates were sprayed with primulin (0.001% in 4:1 v/v acetone/water) according to the method of Wright, J. Chromatography, 59, 220 (1971) which allowed for the identification of additional steroids under 365 nm UV light. The spots were scraped from the plate using a glass wool plugged Pasteur pipet attached to a vacuum line. The steroids were eluted directly into scintillation vials by the addition of 0.2 ml of dichloromethane followed by two washes each of 2.0 ml of methanol. The organic solvent was evaporated and 10.0 ml of scintillation fluid (Beckman Ready Solv-NA) was added to the vials. Samples were analyzed by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Corrections were made based on the recoveries of the [¹⁴ C]-steroid. Steroid concentrations are expressed as femtomoles per milligram protein.

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Effects of Compounds on                                                        estrogen levels and uterine weight                                             Test                       Mean Uterine                                                                          Mean Steroid Concentration**                 No.                                                                               Compound       Dose*                                                                              Animals                                                                             Weight (mg)                                                                           estradiol                                                                           estrone                                                                             estriol                            __________________________________________________________________________     I  1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                        30 4    85.3.sup.+                                                                            0.00.sup.+                                                                          0.09.sup.+                                                                          0.40                                  methyl]imidazole                                                                              300 5    66.0.sup.+                                                                            0.00.sup.+                                                                          0.08.sup.+                                                                          0.40                                  1-tritylimidazole                                                                              30 4    135.0  0.75 0.23 0.44                                                 300 5    122.6  0.64 0.21 0.28.sup.+                            testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    140.8  0.55 0.19 0.53                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    59.8.sup.+                                                                            --   --   --                                 II 1-[bis(4-nitrophenyl)-                                                                         30 4    105.0.sup.+                                                                           0.92 1.58 1.65                                  methyl]imidazole                                                                              300 5    110.8.sup.+                                                                           0.28 0.94 0.83                                  1-[(4-nitrophenyl)methyl]-                                                                     30 4    185.3  1.16 0.88 0.80                                  1H--imidazole hydrochloride                                                                   300 5    147.2.sup.+                                                                           0.79 1.19 1.11                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    220.0  1.31 1.02 1.32                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  2    157.0.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 III                                                                               3-[4,4'-dichloro-α-(1-                                                                   30 4    118.0.sup.+                                                                           1.25 0.11 0.27                                  imidazolyl)diphenylmethyl]-                                                                   300 5    96.8.sup.+                                                                            0.75.sup.+                                                                          0.24 0.28                                  pyridine                                                                       3-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--                                                                    30 4    150.8.sup.+                                                                           1.83 0.06 0.36                                  1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl]-                                                                    300 5    85.6.sup.+                                                                            1.18 0.06 0.13                                  pyridine                                                                       testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    211.5  1.43 0.10 0.24                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    47.7.sup.+                                                                            --   --   --                                 IV 1-[(2-methoxyphenyl)phenyl-                                                                    30 4    176.0  1.31 1.53 1.22                                  methyl]-1H--imidazole nitrate                                                                 300 5    212.6.sup.+                                                                           1.93 0.68 2.07                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    173.1  3.05 1.74 1.03                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    124.0.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 V  1-(2,3-dichlorobenzyl)-1H--                                                                    30 4    139.4.sup.+                                                                           2.09 0.34 0.78                                  imidazole hydrochloride                                                                       300 5    127.3.sup.+                                                                           1.12 0.23 0.41                                  1-[(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                     30 4    114.8.sup.+                                                                           0.92 0.19.sup.+                                                                          0.75                                  methyl]-1H--imidazole                                                                         300 5    68.4.sup.+                                                                            0.00.sup. +                                                                         0.11.sup.+                                                                          0.35                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    163.9  1.29 0.31 0.68                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    54.2.sup.+                                                                            --   --   --                                 VI 4-(1H--imidazol-1-yldiphenyl-                                                                  30 4    156.0  0.78 0.25 0.35                                  methyl)pyridine                                                                               300 5    110.8.sup.+                                                                           0.61 0.23 0.29                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    179.1  0.97 0.21 0.36                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  5    79.8.sup.+                                                                            --   --   --                                 VII                                                                               1-[(2-[2,4-dichloro-                                                                           30 4    173.5  1.16 0.31 0.33                                  benzyloxy]phenyl)methyl]-                                                                     300 5    151.4  1.97 0.30 0.34                                  1H--imidazole nitrate                                                          1-[cyclohexyl(2-ethoxy-                                                                        30 4    149.0  1.30 0.24 0.36                                  phenyl)methyl]-1H--imidazole                                                                  300 5    96.6.sup.+                                                                            1.11 0.20 0.28.sup.+                            hydrochloride                                                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    180.3  2.27 0.88 0.41                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    66.7.sup.+                                                                            --   --   --                                 VIII                                                                              4-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                        30 4    113.3.sup.+                                                                           0.46.sup.+                                                                          0.10 0.60                                  methyl]-4H--1,2,4-triazole                                                                    300 4    97.3.sup.+                                                                            0.48.sup.+                                                                          0.10 0.64                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    222.0  1.47 0.32 0.88                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  5    104.0.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 IX 1-(1,1-diphenyl-2-propynyl)-                                                                   30 4    212.3  1.05 0.00 1.06.sup.+                            1H--imidazole  300 5    137.6.sup.+                                                                           1.01 0.00 0.60                                  testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    210.4  0.79 0.41 0.17                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  5    101.4.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 X  5-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                        30 4    107.5.sup.+                                                                           0.87.sup.+                                                                          0.45 1.87                                  1H--imidazol-1-ylmethyl]-                                                                     300 5    87.6.sup.+                                                                            0.59.sup.+                                                                          0.57 3.27                                  pyrimidine                                                                     testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    196.1  2.78 0.30 0.94                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  6    107.0.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 XI 3-[(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--                                                                      200 5    159.2.sup.+                                                                           0.88 0.01 0.06                                  1,2,4-triazol-1-yl-(3-                                                         trifluoromethylphenyl)-                                                        methyl]pyridine                                                                3-[(4-chlorophenyl)-1H--                                                                      200 5    122.6.sup.+                                                                           0.70.sup.+                                                                          0.06 0.27                                  imidazol-1-yl(3-trifluoro-                                                     methylphenyl)methyl]pyridine                                                   3-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)(2-                                                                     200 5    125.8.sup.+                                                                           0.89 0.06 0.38.sup.+                            methyl-1H--imidazol-1-yl)-                                                     methyl]pyridine                                                                testosterone-treated control                                                                  --  8    213.5  1.98 0.24 0.14                                  Corn oil control                                                                              --  4    145.3.sup.+                                                                           --   --   --                                 __________________________________________________________________________      *ppm in feed. 300 ppm corresponds to approximately 30 mg/kg/day;               200 ppm corresponds to approximately 20 mg/kg/day;                             30 ppm corresponds to approximately 3 mg/kg/day.                               **femtomoles per milligram of protein.                                         .sup.+ significantly different from testosteronetreated control, p < 0.05                                                                               

DMBA-induced Mammary Tumor Inhibition

Mammary tumors were produced in female Sprague-Dawley rats which were 50-60 days old by the gavage administration of 20 mg of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). About six weeks after DMBA administration, the mammary glands were palpated at weekly intervals for the appearance of tumors. Whenever one or more tumors appeared and were measurable in an animal, that animal was selected for experimentation. An attempt was made to uniformly distribute the various sizes of tumors in the treated and control groups such that one group did not start with rats having tumors which, on the average, were significantly larger than those of any other group. Each control and test group contained 8 animals. The test compound was administered either mixed into the food at a concentration of 300 ppm (corresponding to an appropriate daily dose of 30 mg/kg) or the compounds were dissolved or suspended in corn oil and administered once daily by gavage. Every experiment included a group of control rats having tumors and were either given food without the compound admixed or corn oil vehicle by gavage, depending on how the test compound was administered. The tumors were measured at the start of the experiments and generally had an area of approximately 15-100 mm². The area of each tumor was calculated by multiplying the shortest and longest diameters of the tumor. The treatment and measurement of animals continued for 4-8 weeks at which time the final areas of the tumors were determined. For each compound (and control) at each dose level, the change in the mean tumor area was determined. The mean change was analyzed for its significance using Dunnett's t-test. The results of these tests are shown in Table 3 below.

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Anti-Tumor Activity                                                                                   Duration                                                                            Mean Tumor Area (mm.sup.2)                         Test No.                                                                            Compound     Dose*                                                                               of Test                                                                             Start Finish                                       __________________________________________________________________________     I    control      --   6 weeks                                                                             49.6  752.1                                             1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                     300 ppm   57.4  40.8.sup.+                                        methyl]imidazole                                                          II   Control      --   4 weeks                                                                             62.8  1087.3                                            1-[bis(4-nitrophenyl)-                                                                      300 ppm   64.5  18.9.sup.+                                        methyl]imidazole                                                          III  Control      --   4 weeks                                                                             62.8  1087.0                                            3-[4,4'-dichloro-α-(1-                                                                300 ppm   53.8  154.0.sup.+                                       imidazolyl)diphenyl-                                                           methyl]pyridine                                                           IV   Control      --   5 weeks                                                                             48.4  818.0                                             1-[(4-chlorophenyl)phenyl-                                                                  300 ppm   49.3  467.0                                             methyl]-1H--imidazole                                                     V    Control      --   4 weeks                                                                             54.8  914.0                                             1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)-                                                                      5 mg/kg  44.8  346.0                                             methyl]imidazole                                                                            30 mg/kg  62.4  276.0                                        __________________________________________________________________________      *when dosed in the diet, reported as ppm. 300 ppm corresponds to               approximately 30 mg/kg/day. Doses reported in mg/kg given daily by gavage      .sup.+ statistically differently from control, p < 0.05.                 

The compounds may be administered by any number of routes, including the oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, transdermal, and rectal routes. The compounds are usually employed in the form of pharmaceutical compositions. Such compositions are prepared in a manner well known in the pharmaceutical art and comprise at least one active compound of the above formula.

Such pharmaceutical compositions comprise as active ingredient a compound of the above formula associated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In making the compositions, the active ingredient will usually be mixed with a carrier, or diluted by a carrier, or enclosed within a carrier which may be in the form of a capsule, sachet, paper or other container. When the carrier serves as a diluent, it may be a solid, semisolid or liquid material which acts as a vehicle, excipient or medium for the active ingredient. Thus, the composition can be in the form of tablets, pills, powders, lozenges, sachets, cachets, elixirs, emulsions, solutions, syrups, suspensions, aerosols (as a solid or in a liquid medium), ointments containing for example up to 10% by weight of the active compound, soft and hard gelatin capsules, suppositories, sterile injectable solutions, and sterile packaged powders.

Some examples of suitable carriers, excipients, and diluents include lactose, dextrose, sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol, starches, gum acacia, calcium phosphate, alginates, calcium silicate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, cellulose, tragacanth, gelatin, syrup, methyl cellulose, methyl- and propylhydroxybenzoates, talc, magnesium stearate, water, and mineral oil. The formulations can additionally include lubricating agents, wetting agents, emulsifying and suspending agents, preserving agents, sweetening agents or flavoring agents. The compositions may be formulated so as to provide quick, sustained, or delayed release of the active ingredient after administration to the patient by employing procedures well known in the art.

For oral administration, a compound of this invention can be admixed with carriers and diluents molded into tablets or enclosed in gelatin capsules. The mixtures can alternatively be dissolved in liquids such as ten percent aqueous glucose solution, isotonic saline, sterile water, or the like, and administered intravenously or by injection. Such solutions can, if desired, be lyophilized and stored in a sterile ampoule ready for reconstitution by the addition of sterile water for ready intramuscular injection.

The compositions are preferably formulated in a unit dosage form, each dosage containing from about 1 to about 500 mg, more usually about 5 to about 300 mg, of the active ingredient. The term "unit dosage form" refers to physically discrete units suitable as unitary dosages for human subjects and other mammals, each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active material calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect, in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier.

The active compounds are effective over a wide dosage range. For example, dosages per day will normally fall within the range of about 0.05 to about 300 mg/kg of body weight. In the treatment of adult humans, the range of about 0.1 to about 50 mg/kg, in single or divided doses, is preferred. However, it will be understood that the amount of the compound actually administered will be determined by a physician, in the light of the relevant circumstances including the condition to be treated, the choice of compound to be administered, the age, weight, and response of the individual patient, the severity of the patient's symptoms, and the chosen route of administration, and therefore the above dosage ranges are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. 

We claim:
 1. A method of inhibiting aromatase in a mammal which comprises administering to said mammal an aromatase inhibiting amount of a compound of the formula ##STR5## wherein R is ##STR6## hydrogen, C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl, C₁ -C₄ alkyl, or acetenyl;X is ##STR7## hydrogen, pyridyl, or 5-pyrimidyl, or R and X, when taken together, are ═CH₂, or when taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, form a cycloalkyl ring of 5-8 carbon atoms; and Q is hydrogen or methyl;where R₁ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, methoxy, ethoxy, phenyl, methylthio, methyl, ethyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, or ##STR8## R₂, R₄, R₅, R₆, R₇ and R₈ are independently hydrogen, chloro, or fluoro; or R₁ and R₂, when taken together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, form a naphthalene ring; R₃ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, or nitro; n is 1 or 2; and E and G are independently N or CH, provided that E and G may not both be N at the same time;or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 2. The method according to claim 1 employing a compound wherein R is ##STR9##
 3. The method according to claim 1 employing a compound wherein R₁ is chloro or fluoro.
 4. The method according to claim 2 employing a compound wherein one of R₃ and R₄ is chloro or fluoro in the 4'-position.
 5. The method according to claim 2 employing a compound wherein X is hydrogen.
 6. The method according to claim 2 employing a compound wherein X is optionally substituted phenyl.
 7. The method according to claim 5 employing 1-[bis-(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]imidazole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 8. A method of treating estrogen-dependent diseases in a mammal which comprises administering to said mammal an effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR10## wherein R is ##STR11## hydrogen, C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl, C₁ -C₄ alkyl, or acetenyl;X is ##STR12## hydrogen, pyridyl, or 5-pyrimidyl, or R and X, when taken together, are ═CH₂, or when taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a cycloalkyl ring of 5-8 carbon atoms; and Q is hydrogen or methyl;where R₁ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, methoxy, ethoxy, phenyl, methylthio, methyl, ethyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, or ##STR13## R₂, R₄, R₅, R₆, R₇ and R₈ are independently hydrogen, chloro, or fluoro; or R₁ and R₂, when taken together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, form a naphthalene ring; R₃ is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, or nitro; n is 1 or 2, and E and G are independently N or CH, provided that E and G may not both be N at the same time; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 9. The method according to claim 8 employing a compound wherein R is ##STR14##
 10. The method according to claim 9 employing a compound wherein R₁ and R₃ are each independently chloro or fluoro and R₃ is in the 4'-position.
 11. The method according to claim 10 employing a compound wherein X is hydrogen.
 12. The method according to claim 11 employing 1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]imidazole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the estrogen-dependent disease is breast carcinoma.
 14. The method according to claim 13 employing a compound wherein R is ##STR15## and R₂ is hydrogen.
 15. The method according to claim 14 employing a compound wherein R₁ and R₃ are each independently chloro or fluoro and R₃ is in the 4'-position.
 16. The method according to claim 15 employing 1-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]imidazole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 